PS 635 
.Z9 
JR658 
Copy 1 







A (Uliriatmaa piag 



TO 
M. T. M. 



Copyright, 1918 
By Helen Josephine Robins 



DEC 23 1918 

CLD 50903 






Printed by J. J. McDevUt 
Bryn Mawr, Pa. 



4" "^ 



The Scholars and the Children, 



Across the back of the stage are hung closed cur- 
tains. To the left is a large open fire-place. To the 
right is a group composed of St. George, the Dragon, 
The Boars Head (a little cook, a boy, carrying a 
boar's head on a platter), Plum Pudding {2. little cook, 
a boy, carrying a plum pudding on a platter; the 
pudding is decorated with holly), Mistletoe (a little 
girl dressed in white and pale green, decorated with 
mistletoe), and the Christinas Tree (a little girl dressed 
in white and dull green, decorated with branches of 
fir, and pine cones; there are patches of snow on the 
branches). These are all standing before two old 
men (seated) in long robes of soft, dark colours; the 
men have beards and grey hair; to one side of them 
a young clerk keeps a record of the meeting. As the 
curtain rises the Dragon is chuckling aloud. 

First Old Man {to the other). — What can be the 
matter with him? 

Second Old Man {to St, George). — Have you 
any idea what he's laughing at, St. George? 

St. George {politely). — I think I have, gentle 



sir. 



First Old Man. — Pray tell us what it is. 

St. George. — Possibly you would rather I didn't. 

Second Old Man. — Whv so? 



St. Georgk. — Because, good sir, I fear that he 
is laughing at you. 

First Oi.d Man, At us! (to other old man) — ■ 
What is there about us to make a dragon laugh? I 
am sure we are very serious ! (To St. George) — Have 
you any idea zvhy he should laugh at us? 

St. Gkorgk. — Well, to tell the truth, I have. He 
thinks the question you asked him is very funny. (Pok- 
ing the Dragon with his szvord) Tell him why you 
think it's funny ! 

Dragon (still chuckling). — It's such a joke, you 
know ! You asks whether it's me as makes it Christ- 
mas for the children. My scales and fiery breath ! Why 
this here Christmas o' yourn's the biggest Christian 
Festival you uns has, and me! Why I'm a most tur- 
rible heathen ! Me make Christmas ! Ha, ha, ha ! (To 
St. George) — Ain't they a pair of awful old duffers? 

St. George:. — Hush, Dragon! Don't be so rude 
to them, even if they do seem absurd! 

Dragon.^ — Hm! They're old enough to know 
better. 

St. Gkorge:. — Sh ! sh ! ( The old men speak in a 
whisper to each other.) 

First OivD Man (to St. George). — We are sorry 
to seem absurd, sir ; we really are very much in ear- 
nest. You see we are making a study of life. Now 
there is always a great deal done at Christmastide for 
the children, and we wish to understand what it all 
means. That's why we have called this meeting. (To 
the Dragon.) — If, as you say, you have nothing to do 
with a Christian feast, how did you ever get into 
Christmas in the first place ? 

6 



Dragon. — Thafs easy ; I got in with my old friend 
St. George here. Ask him. He understands all about 
it, he'll tell you. I can't answer no more o' your silly 
questions. I'm hoarst now with talking! I'd rather 
roar any day! {Roars. The tivo old men and the 
clerk jump from their seats in terror). There! Did 
you ever hear a Christian do that! (Rocks zvith 
laughter.) 

SecoND Old Man. — Perhaps you will be so kind 
as to explain, St. George. You are such a gentleman. 

St. Georgi:. — Naturally I am. But the Dragon is 
quite right. He got into Christmas because I kill him 
then, every year, for a revel, you see. He's very 
obliging about it. His manners are not much to boast 
of, I'll grant, but he's really the soul of good nature. 

Dragon. — Oh, now ! Come on ! It doesn't hurt 
much! Show them how you do it. (Throivs himself 
on the ground and roars again. St. George kills him, 
then strikes an attitude, and with one foot on the 
Dragon, recites from the old play^) : 

St. George. 

"Here am I, St. George, 

That worthy champion bold , 
And with my sword and spear, 

I won three crowns of gold. 
I fought the fiery dragon, 

And brought him to the slaughter ; 
By that I won fair Sabra, 

The King of Egypt's daughter. 



*"St. George and the Dragon, a modern Cornish 
Christmas play." (Edited by Ernest Rhys). 

7 



(Comes azvay from the Dragon) — Tlibse are my 
lines in the old play, you see. {Old men both applaud 
delightedly, having follozved the fight zvith great 
eagerness and excitement. They whisper together, 
shaking their heads.) 

First Old Man. — Bravo! And this is a revel, 
you say. And so this is the way you keep Christmas 
for the children ! 

St. George {impatiently) — Why no! — it's only 
a part of the fun at Christmas. I keep the feast like 
any other Christian. 

Second Oi^d Man. — Then it's you that makes 
Christmas ? 

St. George — I ? My dear sir ! Pardon me, but by 
my sword and spear, I fear you know very little his- 
tory. Why Christmas is as old as Christianity, and 
I belong only so far back as the . — — — — - 

Dragon. — I say ! A child knows more about it 
than they know. You don't suppose they were ever 
born in any Christian land, do you? Why, I beheve 
they're Turks! Ha, ha, ha! {Rolls over and over 
on the floor laughing.) 

St. George. — Dragon, you're perfectly disgrace- 
ful. It's shockingly rude to laugh in any one's face 
as you are doing. Get up, and come along with me. 
I'm ashamed of you. (Bows courteously to the two 
old men, and goes out arm in arm with the Dragon, 
who is still laughing.) 

First Oi.d Man to Second. — I wish you'd speak 
to the Boar's Head. These beasts are so uncivilized. 

Boards Head. — Fll speak without being spoken 
to, and I'll tell you this : If you address the same 

8 



foolish question to me that you put to the Dragon, 
you'll get the same answer. / don't make Christmas 
either. Fin a heathen, too. 

• Misti.e:tos {dancing forward). — And so am I. 
The Druids used to cut me off the oaks in England 
before there was any Christmas there ; and the Chris t- 
ians kept on cutting me off after there were no Druids 
left. Do you wonder? See how pretty I am! (She 
turns round and round.) See what I can do! {She 
runs across and holds a sprig of mistletoe over the 
heads of Plum Pudding and Christmas Tree; P.P. 
kisses C. T. Mistletoe then tiptoes back of the Boar's 
Head, laughing, and tries to hold the sprig over him. 
She dances round him; he runs away from her, and 
she chases him off the stage, singing .-"The Boar's Head 
as I understand, Is the bravest dish in all the land!"'^\ 

First Old Man {in despair). — I suppose the 
next one is the Plum Pudding. 

P. P. {abruptly). — Oh, don't count me! I'm 
only a part of the refreshments, like the goose or the 
turkey, or the mince pies ! You have the Christmas 
dinner on account of Christmas — you don't have 
Christmas on account of the dinner, do you? By nuts 
and raisins ! You are a. silly old pair ! Good day, 
I'm off! {Goes out, laughing, and calls back, ''Merry 
Christmas! Merry Christmas!") 

Second Old Man. — Well, surely then it must be 
the Christmas Tree — there's no one else left. 

C. T. — Dear, dear ! I'm no use by myself, as I am. 
You must wait for Santa Claus to trim me before I 
shall be worth your asking me any questions. 



♦Stanza 2 of the old English "Boar's Head Carol* 

9 



First OivD Man.— Santa Claus? What is that? 

C. T. — What ! You never heard of Santa Claus ? 
My stars and tinsel, what ignorance ! 

{Sleigh hells are heard outside. Christmas Tree 
runs to the fire-place and looks up into it.) 

Ci/ERK. — This Santa Claus was invited to the 
meeting, sirs, and I am sure he intends to come. 

C. T. — I hear him nov/, calling to his reindeer ! 

(Santa Claus is heard outside, zvhile the sleigh 
bells still jingle.) 

Santa Ci.aus. — "Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! 
Now, Prancer! Now, Vixen! On, Comet! On 
Cupid! On, Donder, and Blitzen!"''' (He comes 
down the chimney, and enters, clapping his hands to 
zuarm them, and stamping his feet.) 

S. C. — Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! 
Sorry to be late, but you know this is my very busiest 
day, and I really have no time for grown-ups. {To 
Christmas Tree). — Your new trimmings are out in 
my pack, and if — {C. T. rushes out, clapping her 
hands in delight). There now, she's ojf, at the mere 
mention of new clothes. Just like a girl! {To the 
Old Men) — Well, gentlemen, what can I do for you! 

First Old Man. — You can, we trust, tell us what 
we almost despair of learning, the reason that the 
whole world celebrates Christmas. Are you the 
reason ? 

S. C. {Looking at them in amazement) — ^Am / 
the reason that — by chimneys and holly berries! 
{Shakes with silent laughter, turns away to conceal 



"A Visit from St. Nicholas," by C. C. Moore. 
10 



it). Why, why, no! I'm not the reason. Of course 
I try to make Christmas the happiest day in the year, 
but the reason the whole world celebrates it ? Do you 
mean to say you don't know thatf 

Both Old Men (together). — No, no! And we 
are so eager to know ! 

S. C. — Christmas stockings ! Why any child could 
tell you in the twinkling of an eye. Why don't you call 
the children in and ask them? 

First Oi.d Man.— Call the children in? Why, 
where are they? 

SECOND O1.D Man. — Yes, where are they? 

S. C. (coolly) — Oh, they can't be far off. 
They're never far away from me. (Laughing). — It's 
as much as I can do to keep them out while I trim the 
tree and fill the stockings. Shall I call them in for 
you? 

O1.D Man. — Please do! 

(Santa Claus whistles. The children run in from 
both sides of the stage, surround him, and cling to 
him, crying, ''Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!") 

S. C. — Merry Christmas, my dears! These 
gentlemen have a question to ask you. 

Children. — A question for us? 

First Old Man. — Yes, yes, we wish to ask why 
you celebrate Christmas. 

Childre:n (to one another and to S. C.) — Why 
we celebrate Christmas? 

First Little Girl. — Santa Claus, don't they 
really know? 

II 



S. C. — I believe they really don't. 

Second Little Girl. — But didn't their mothers 
tell them? 

Third LittlK Girl {looking sadly at the Old 
Men) — Perhaps they never had any mothers. 

First LittlK Girl. — Or perhaps they are so old 
that they have forgotten what their mothers did tell 
them. 

Third Little Girl. — But Santa Glaus is old, and 
he hasn't forgotten the things that we know. 

S. C. — Bless your heart! That's because I'm 
a child myself. Why children, dear, I've never grown 
up. 

Children {clapping their hands). — O, we're so 
glad! 

First Little Girl {pointing to the two Old 
Men). — Santa Glaus, dear, who are they? 

S. C. — They are great scholars. 

First Little Girl {timidly). — And what are 
"great scholars ' ' ? 

S. C. — Very wise men. 

Second Little Girl. — But the Wise Men from 
the East knew about Christmas without asking! {to 
the Old Men). Why they brought the first gifts more 
than nineteen hundred years ago. That is why Santa 
Glaus brings us gifts to-day. 

First Old Man {eagerly). — And to whom did 
they bring them? 

12 



Second Little Girl.— Why, to the Baby Christ, 
of course. Don't you know that to-day is His birth- 
day? That's what we're celebrating. 

Second Old Man. — So our question is answered! 
Then it is because of the Baby Christ that you keep 
Christmas ? 

Children. — Yes, yes ! 

First Old Man. — And where was He born ? 

Second Little Girl. — In Bethlehem — in the poor 
little stable. Don't you remember ? 

Third Little Girl. — Why the shepherds knew 
that without asking. 

First Little Girl. — But the angel told them. 

Third Little Girl. — The Wise Men knew. 

First Little Girl. — But they saw the star, didn't 
they, Santa Claus? 

S. C. — Yes, my dear. But these Wise Men have 
neither heard the angel nor seen the star, and so they 
do not understand. 

First Little Girl. — Poor old Wise Men ! Santa 
Claus, don't you think we ought to tell them all about 
Our Saviour when He was a baby ? 

Children. — Oh, yes, yes! 

(Santa Claus nods approval.) 

First Little Girl. — They must be so sad and 
lonely if they do not know the Baby Jesus. {To the 
Old Men) Listen, we will tell you about Him ! 

13 



Both Old Men. — Yes, Yes! {Lean forward 
eagerly.) 

The children sing : "God rest you, Merry Gentle- 
men." 

After this the curtains at the back of the stage 
open to show a tableau of the Nativity with the Shep- 
herds and the Magi kneeling in adoration, and angels 
in the background. The children and all the others 
kneel, and with the Angels, the Magi, and the Shep- 
herds, join in "Adeste Fideles." 



Curtain: 




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